"Third parties" (USA-centric)

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Blind faith rears its ugly head.

I actually came rather close to voting “f**k that s**t.”

But, ultimately, I chose “Independent.”

Same.

It looks like you can change your votes.

I'm an "Independent." I'm registered as such.

But "politics" interferes with getting the proper things done.

Well its mainly because I am pro-life and pro-free speech and quiverfull and pro-freedom of religion and pro-abstinence only and the democrats love to support fornication as a political Party.its also because the dems want to tax the churches and keep the churches out of politics.Also, the dems want to ban AR-15's and AK-47s and 9mm handguns play a big part of it too.

Last edited by Texasmoneyman300 on 12 Oct 2021, 10:55 am, edited 5 times in total.

Trump probably does not represent the viewpoint of most sensible Republicans.

Many people DID vote for Trump merely because he was Republican.

Many people voted for Trump the first time because he was Not Hillary.  This time, he was Not Biden.

So what about the modern day Republican day party does not jive with Jesus in your mind?I am just curious.I think the Democrat Party is the bigger offender in that department.I am also Republican because the Republicans are more likely to believe every young American can work hard and become a millionaire if they have the ability to work.

I could ask, what on your list of political priorities actually comes from the Gospels? Abstinence only education, abortion, gun rights, taxes, the right to become a millionaire? I'm pretty sure that none of it does, not even abortion (although as a matter of faith I do believe God considers it a sin), but maybe I'm missing something ...

In fact, seeking wealth as a priority is quite contrary to the teachings of Christ. Or have you forgotten that he said it was easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get to heaven?

Lessons that do feature prominently in the Gospels:

Unconditional forgiveness
Care for refugees and outsiders
Care for the poor and less fortunate
Care for the sick and dying
Care for the imprisoned
Sharing of resources & wealth
Not piously judging others for their perceived (or even known) sins
Not exalting oneself over others

In the Acts of the Apostles, you even have quite a lot that mandates communal sharing, that would be called out as socialist or communist if it was advocated today.

I allow that neither political party is a perfect fit for the teachings of the Bible, and everyone has to use their own conscious to decide how to weigh competing priorities. But to my eyes there has been a slow adopting of very non-Christian concepts by conservative Christians in order to justify continuing to vote Republican despite a party evolution that has brought it quite far away from the progressive measures it once embraced. I believe that the moment abortion was turned into a wedge issue, it all got incredibly twisted and distorted. The irony of that is how your favored "abstinence only education" actually CONTRIBUTES to the abortions you and I both would like to see end. If you wonder how I can vote Democratic despite the party support for legal abortion, it's rather simple: the best and most compassionate ways to end abortion don't involved inserting the law into personal medical decisions, and there is data that proves me right on this point.

I would not say being a multi-millionaire means your rich anymore. so I think its fine to be a millionaire.Millionaire is enough for lower-middle class retirement not rich.I would say billionaires are the real rich but Jesus said anything is possible with him so I think that means people on the Forbes 400 can be faithful Christians too but thats just me and the church of Christ speaking.One million dollars doesnt go very far as it once did.One million in the market is only enough for about 30 to 50,000 a year for a 30 year retirement.So i dont think millionaires are rich anymore.

Last edited by Texasmoneyman300 on 12 Oct 2021, 11:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Sadly most sensible Republicans are a small minority instead of being most Republicans.

Polls consistently show a majority of Republican voters are still pro-Trump.

I do understand your comment, especially as someone trying to determine when I can finally retire. However, my point wasn't really about the dollar amount, and I would hope you realize that. It was about the concept, the desire to be "rich," or at least more successful than your peers, and how that conflicts with the economic sharing the Bible calls us to do.

Sure, camels can pass through the eyes of needles with help from God, but to rely on that doesn't speak well to actually trying to live in accordance with the gospels and reflective of God's grace. Without getting into a whole acts v faith arguments, one could argue that if faith is sincere, the acts will follow. If the acts do not, then it is fair to question if the faith is really sincere. When Christ made the comment, he was saying that the odds of one making into Heaven while also being rich, even with Him able to make it happen, was pretty darn tiny. Do I believe that all those filthy rich, private airplane, evangelical ministers have actually been saved? Not really. The wealth will eventually corrupt them, if it hasn't already, and corrupt the messages they share with their followers. We are called to act selflessly, despite being instinctively selfish beings. We've been challenged to find a balance, and are asked over and over and over in the New Testament to be truly, from the heart, generous with others.

oh Okay were good.I understand.I agree that Acts does advocate communal living and sharing but sadly nobody in West Texas and at church shares that vision with me.People at church must think I am a communist or something when I am really just quoting Acts and Luke 14:33.Ya i do believe that most rich people wont make it.I am glad we came to understanding.I have always thought the church needs to be more communal based on my reading of acts.

(just for the sake of argument, I will note, however, that many will argue that even the poor in the US are rich when you compare to how life looks in some other countries. we all have to be careful of how we define rich; I know very few people who see themselves as being rich, even when everyone else in a community sees them as filthy rich.)

We in Poland view ourselves as rather poor but when I learn what being poor in the US means...
Owning little is so much better than being in astronomical debt or left to fend for oneself on the streets while being forbidden to be on the streets